Air-feed lock for rock drills



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 K a o/Y// www Z/ Q T fea 0 PTPRY @WJ F. M. SLATER Filed June 16, 1922 y wm @uw Dec, 16, 1924.

AIR FEED LOCK FOR ROCK DRILLS P, s Y

A?. 0 PTR Dec. 16, 1924- 1,519,171

F. M. SLATER AIR'FEED LOCK FOR ROCK DRILLS' Filed June 16, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec, 16, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE.

`FRED M. SLATER, OCE1 EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO INGERSOLL-RAND COM- PANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

AIR-.FEED LOCK FOR ROCK DRILLS.

To all whom t may concern." I

Be if, known that I, FRED M. Stima, a tlitizen` of the United States, and a resi'- dent 'of Easton, in the county of Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, have in- 'vented a certain Air-Feed Lock for Rock viDrills, of which the v`following is a specification, accompanied by drawings,

This invention relates to -fluid actuated.

io'cl drills but more particularly to a de-` vice for controlling the feeding element of 'stope drill, although the invention may be applied to any drill having a fluid actuated feeding element.

Theobjects of the invention are to en- 'the members of the fluid actuated feeding element of a stope drill for instance, to be positively locked against relative movement when desired, and effect the control of the locking device preferably by fluid actuated means under the manual control of the operator.

Another object of the invention is to enable the members of the feeding elements to be locked automatically and prevent feeding, by devices adapted to be brought into operation by a .sudden substantially unrestrained forward feeding movement of one of the feeding element members and the drill cylinder. In case the drill steel breaks for instance, or for some other reason well understood, the feeding element may suddenlyl force the machine forward and .unless such sudden jump is restrained, practically instantly, the operator or other drill runners may be injured or the machine damaged.

To these and other ends, which will hereafter appear, the invention consists of the combinations of. elements and arrangements of parts substantially as described and claimed in this specification and shown in its preferred forni in theaccoinpanying drawings, in whichM Figure l is a side elevation partly inv longitudinal section, of so much of a sope drill as will serve to illustrate the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional elevation of the feeding element.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional elevation partly broken away of a modification of the feeding element, and

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 with the parts in .a different 'positionv Serial No. 568,531.

piston. The cylinder is also provided with a cylinder back extension D, and had a head block E, which contains the throttle valve F having the handle G 'controlling the supply of motive fluid from the inlet J' to the cylinder Vand to the air feeding ele ment. The head block is mounted on the feed cylinder K which is formed with the feed cylinder flange L. The parts so far described are adapted to be secured together by the usual side bolts (not shown).

In the form of fluid actuated feeding element illustrated, the feed cylinder K forms one of the two relatively movable members, and is connected to the cylinder A and its associated parts while the feed piston O and piston rod P forming the other feeding element member, are stationary and provided with the rock engaging pointer Q.. In accordance with this invention, a rack R is provided on one of the members as for instance, the stationary piston rod P and a worm S is mounted to move with the other movable member and engages the rack R.

The worm S is free to rotate as the feeding elements move relatively to each other until mechanism is brought into operation for holding or locking the worm so that it cannot turn and thus loclr the feeding mechan ism.

The rack R may be secured to the piston rod P as by means of the screws T, and the worm S is rotatable but longitudinally slidable in a housing U carried by a housing support V suitably connected to the head block E as by means of a screw threaded connection W and Jche loci; nut X, so that'y the housing U moves with the cylinder A and feed cylinder K,

The gear housing U is provided with Athe stud or worm support Y having a conical bearing Z forming a clutch member for the worm S, which in turn has an internal clutch surface and is loosely mounted on said stud. A rod a extends through the worm housing support V and is held in retracted position by means of a coiled spring Z9 bearing on the housing U at the lower end and abutting a shoulder c on the rod a at the upper worm rotatable about said stud and engaging said rack and means for holding said Worm against rotation on said stud.

5. In a fluid actuated rock drill, the combination of a cylinder, a fluid actuated feeding element having relatively movable members, one being connected to said cylinder, and the other being' stationary, a rack on one of said members, a slidable Worm carried by the other member engaging said rack, and frictional means acting directly on the Worm for holding` the said Worm against rotation.

6. In a fluid actuated rock drill, the combination of a cylinder, a fluid actuated feeding element having relatively movable members, one being connected to said cylinder, and the other being stationary, a rack on one of said members, a Worm carried by the other member engaging said rack, a frictional clutch surface on the Worm, a cooperating frictional clutch element carried by the said movable member of the feeding element for locking said Worm against rotation, and fluid actuated means acting directly on the worm for moving' the clutch elements to operative position.

7. In a fluid actuated roel: drill, the combination of a cylinder, a lluid actuated feeding element having' relatively movable members, one being connected to said cylinder, and the other being stationary, a rack on one of said members, a Worm carried by the other member engaging said rack and means for automatically locking said Worm against rotation adapted to be brought into operation by a sudden substantially unrestrained forward feeding movement of the movable feeding element, said means including a stud having a tapered bearing in said Worm.

8. In a fluid actuated rock drill, the combination of a cylinder, a lluid actuated feeding element having relatively movable members, one being connected to said cylinder, and the other being stationary, a rack on one of said members, a Worm engaging said rack and carried by the other member, a tapered stud having' a bearing in said worm, and fluid actuated means for locking said Worm against rotation.

9. In a fluid actuated rock drill, the combination of a cylinder, a fluid actuated feeding element having relatively movable members, one being connected to said cylinder and the other being stationary, means for 'Y admitting pressure fluid to actuate said members, a rack on one of said members, a toothed member meshing with said rack and having limited movement in the other member, a tapered stud having a bearing in said toothed member adapted to automatically hold the toothed member against rotation, and brought into operation by a sudden substantially unrestrained forward feeding' movement of the movable feeding element.

In .testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

FRED M. SLATER. 

